‘Not a trophy, won’t be poster girl’

Kanupriya Agarwal, India’s first test-tube baby, is proud to be living proof of one of the greatest medical achievements in the world. But she doesn’t want to be treated like a trophy, and certainly won’t be the poster girl of the Indian In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) industry.

Kanupriya, who’ll turn 30 on October 3, has reasons to say that. After years of being a subject of ridicule, she and Dr Subhash Mukherjee — the doctor who brought her to this world — are set to get the official stamp. Although some international journals recognised her as India’s first test-tube baby, and the world’s second, it is only now that the Parliament is ready to ratify it through a bill soon.

“I certainly do not want to be a poster girl of the IVF industry, which undermined Dr Mukherjee’s achievement for 30 years,” says Kanupriya, breaking her silence for the first time. “I am not a trophy but I am proud to be the living example of work of a genius.” All these years she and her family silently fought on — unlike Dr Mukherjee who committed suicide in 1981 unable to convince the medical fraternity and the government about his achievement. An inquiry by the Bengal government rejected his claim, and he was even transferred. His death inspired a movie — Ek Doctor Ki Maut.

Short course for young health activists at IPHU

Applications are now open for The Struggle for Health, an IPHU short course for young health activists to be held between 5 to 13 November 2018 in Savar, Bangladesh in the lead up to the 4th People’s Health Assembly scheduled to be held between 15-19 November, 2018. Deadline for applications: 14 September, 2018.